Making a Choice: Horcruxes or Hallows?
by Miranda Took
Summary: SPOILER ALERT:My version of how the 1st part of DH ends -if you don't know where the split is/haven't read the book, don't come here.Dobby dies,the trio plots bank robbery,Voldemort acquires a deadly weapon. Let's visualize it. Written in script format.


EXTERIOR-The sound of waves crashing on rocks. Seen from behind, Harry leaning on the ground, holding a dead Dobby. The view moves to Harry's face.

We look into Harry's eyes- FLASHES- Harry's parents wave from an enchanted mirror. Sirius falls through the veil with a sad smile on his fading face. The killing curse hits Dumbledore & he is falling- Dobby stretches out his hands towards Harry with a jeweled knife hilt protruding from his chest- calling out-

HARRY POTTER!

We hear the deranged, maniacal laughter of Bellatrix Lestrange till it is replaced by Hermione's voice. We see Harry again, staring at Dobby.

Hermione: Harry?

Harry looks up to see Ron supporting a very weak Hermione.

Harry: I want to do it properly, with a spade.

Ron: Bill will have one. (He comes slowly forward with Hermione & puts a hand on Harry's shoulder. Hermione crouches down on the ground, gently closing the elf's eyes with her fingers. The scars on her face, throat & arms make a stark contrast with her unnaturally white skin.)

Hermione: There. He could be sleeping now.

EXTERIOR- We see the waves breaking upon the shore, endlessly.

INTERIOR – The Drawing Room, Malfoy Mansion

Lord Voldemort: Do you mean to tell me that he escaped again? Is that why you called me back? (His voice is dangerously soft.)

Bellatrix & the three Malfoys cower against the walls. Fenrir Greyback runs towards the half-open door but is pulled back & thrown against a chair by Voldemort's spell. The door snaps shut, darkening the room.

EXTERIOR- The doorstep of Shell Cottage. The door opens. Fleur & Bill steps out, looking worried, followed by Luna & Dean.

EXTERIOR- The waves continue to rage in wordless grief.

INTERIOR – At the Malfoy Mansion – Voldemort moves his wand like a whip. Lucius Malfoy crumples to the floor.

EXTERIOR – Harry makes a savage thrust against the soil; his breathing is heavy & uneven. Hermione holds Dobby wrapped in a white sheet. Her shoulders shake as she weeps silently. Ron quietly puts his arm around her & swallows.

The others look on sadly.

Harry continues digging. FLASHES- His parents waving from the mirror, Sirius falling through the veil, Dumbledore dying, Dobby reaching out with a knife in his chest- DARKNESS.

INTERIOR – Malfoy Mansion. Bellatrix kneels before Voldemort.

Bellatrix: Forgive me, my lord.

Voldemort (quietly): Lord Voldemort does not forgive, Bella.

EXTERIOR- Harry grips the handle of his spade. Ron & Dean jump into the grave with spades of their own.

FLASH- (*from Chamber of Secrets*)

Harry: Promise me one thing, Dobby.

Dobby: Just name it, Harry Potter.

Harry: Promise me that you'll not try to save my life again.

EXTERIOR- Back to Present. Harry stands with his eyes shut tight, his fist clenched round the spade's handle. He opens his eyes & gulps back tears. His jaw is set in a firm line as he plunges into digging again.

Luna (to Hermione): There, I'll take him.

Hermione hands Dobby to Luna.

Harry takes off his jacket.

Harry: Wrap him into this. He loved clothes.

Ron (unlacing his shoes): Wait. I'll give the socks.

EXTERIOR: Dobby lying in the open grave, looking so peaceful he seems to be really asleep. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Dean, Bill & Fleur stand looking down at him.

Luna: We should say something. I shall go first, shall I?

Harry nods. Ron & Hermione hold hands.

Luna: Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing us from that cellar. It's so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good & brave. I'll always remember what you did for us. I hope you're happy now.

Fleur & Bill look solemn.

Ron: Yeah, thanks, Dobby.

Hermione (whispering in a choked voice): We'll never forget.

Dean: Thanks.

Harry: Goodbye, Dobby. I'll miss you.

Bill raises his wand, the pile of earth beside the grave rises up in the air & fall neatly upon it, making a small, reddish mound.

Harry (gazing at the grave): D'you mind if I stay here a moment?

Hermione brushes the top of his head with her hand, & then sways with pain & exhaustion. Ron puts his arm around her again.

Ron (to Harry): You'll be all right, mate. Harry nods without looking away from the grave.

EXTERIOR- Harry alone by Dobby's grave. He looks around, & picks a large, white stone & lays it, pillow-like over the grave & feels in his pocket for a wand.

INTERIOR- Malfoy Mansion. Voldemort stands alone, examining a blackthorn wand.

EXTERIOR- Harry takes out a pair of wands from his pocket & holds them up, a slight crease on his forehead. He chooses the shorter of the two, & puts the other back inside his pocket. He bends over the grave, murmuring incantations. He stands up. The white stone on the grave now reads:

_Here lies Dobby, a Free Elf._

Our view moves up, we see Griphook watching from a window.

INTERIOR- The living room of Shell Cottage.

Ron, Hermione, Luna & Dean are sitting on a sofa listening to Bill. Fleur disappears into the kitchen.

Door opens. Harry walks in.

Bill: …lucky Ginny was on holiday. If she had been at Hogwarts they would have taken her before we reached her. (Notices Harry standing) Harry! I've been getting them all out of The Burrow. Now that they know Ron's with you, they're bound to target the family.

Harry: I'm sorry.

Bill: Don't be. It was only a matter of time. We're biggest bloodtraitor family there is.

Harry: So where are they now?

Bill: At Muriel's. She's got a bigger place than this. We'll move both Ollivanders & Griphook once the skele-grow finishes working.

Harry: No! I need them here. I've got to talk with them, privately & separately.

Ron & Hermione look surprised.

Bill: Now?

Harry: Yes. It's important.

They look at each other silently for a minute.

Bill: Who do you want to talk to first?

Harry considers. On the wall behind Bill is a painting of a quaint country scene. As Harry thinks, the painting grows larger till the frame disappears, the colours blur & suddenly…

EXTERIOR- We are flying with Voldemort over the Great Lake. The dark silhouette of Hogwarts is visible at a distance. We hear Harry's disembodied voice-

Griphook…

INTERIOR- Living Room of Shell Cottage.

Harry: …I'll speak to Griphook first.

INTERIOR- A small bedroom. Griphook is sitting on the bed, looking at Harry who's standing with his back to the window. The sword of Gryffindor is on a bedside table.

Harry: I'm sorry to disturb your rest. But we need your help, Griphook. (He waits, but Griphook doesn't respond) We need your help to break into a Gringotts vault.

Ron & Hermione look startled.

Griphook: It's impossible.

Ron: No it's not. It's been done, seven years ago.

Griphook (offended): The vault in question was empty at the moment. Its security was minimal.

Harry: Well, the one we're talking about isn't empty, & I guess its security will be pretty high. It belongs to the Lestranges.

Griphook: You've got no chance. No one can steal from Gringotts.

Harry: Look, I'm not seeking anything for personal gain. Please believe that.

Griphook (deliberating, slowly): You are an unusual wizard, Harry Potter.

The goblin looks both hostile & intrigued.

Harry: Unusual in what way?

Griphook: You saved my life. You _dug_ the grave. Goblins & elves are not used to the protection & respect that you've shown us today. Not from wand-carriers.

Harry: Wand-carriers?

Griphook: The right to carry a wand has long been contested between wizards & goblins.

Ron: Well, goblins can do magic without wands; & they don't share any of their magic either.

(Griphook looks furious)

Harry: That's not the point. This isn't about wizards versus goblins or any other magical races-"

Griphook: But it is precisely about that, Harry Potter. As the Dark Lord becomes more powerful, Gringotts falls under wizarding rule, house-elves are slaughtered, & do the wand-carriers protest? No!

Hermione: Yes we do! We protest. Did you know it was Harry who had set Dobby free, that we've wanted elves to be freed for years? (Ron looks uncomfortable). Look at me (she holds up her arm- we see the word _mudblood_ carved into her skin)-I'm a mudblood. I'm despised as much as any elf or goblin. You cannot want You-Know-Who defeated more than we do, Griphook!

Griphook: So young, to be fighting so many.

Harry: So, so…will you help us, please?

Griphook (after a long silence): I'll think about it.

As they turn to leave, Harry reaches over to the bedside table to take the sword. Griphook watches resentfully. They leave, shutting the door behind them. Griphook continues to stare at the door.

INTERIOR- The dark landing outside Griphook's door.

Ron: The little git, he's enjoying keeping us hanging.

Hermione: Harry, are you saying there's a Horcrux inside the Lestranges vault?

Harry: When Bellatrix thought we'd been inside her vault, she was terrified. And she didn't want You-Know-Who to find out.

Ron: But has You-Know-Who ever been to Gringotts?

Harry: I don't know. He wouldn't have an account when he was younger because nobody left him anything, so he might have envied anyone who had a key to a Gringotts vault. I think he'd have seen it as a real symbol of belonging to the wizarding world. & He really trusted the Lestranges, they were his most devoted servants.

Hermione: But what has Ollivanders got to do with this?

Harry: Not with this, but you'll see. C'mon.

They cross the landing & knock upon another door. A feeble "Come in" is heard; they open the door & enter.

INTERIOR- A slightly bigger bedroom, but with similar décor. An emaciated Mr. Ollivanders is sitting on an armchair with the trio on stools facing him. There's a coffee table between them.

Ollivanders: Thank you for saving me.

Harry: We were glad to do it. (He takes out his broken wand from the mokeskin pouch) Mr. Ollivanders, can you mend this?

Ollivanders (holding the broken wand up to eyelevel): Holly & phoenix father, eleven inches. Nice & supple. (Harry waits, expectantly) I'm sorry, but a wand this damaged cannot be repaired by any means that I know of.

Harry takes the wand & places it aside on the table, then takes out two other wands from his pocket.

Harry: Can you identify these?

Ollivanders: (Picks one, examines it) Walnut & dragon heartstring, unyielding. This belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry: And this one?

Ollivanders: Hawthorn & unicorn hair, ten inches, reasonably springy. This was the wand of Draco Malfoy.

Harry: Why was? Isn't it still his?

Ollivanders: If you won it from, then its allegiance now belongs to you. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter, remember, I told you? You may channel your magic through almost any instrument. But the best results come where there is the strongest affinity between wand & wizard.

Harry: And is this true for all wands?

Ollivanders: Yes, I think so.

Harry: , (he pauses) what do you know about the Deathly Hallows?

Hermione (sounding exasperated): Harry-

Ollivanders (slowly): It is believed there are three. (Hermione looks flabbergasted.)

Harry: And You-Know-Who is looking for one of them, isn't he? He asked you about it.

Ollivanders: How…how do you know this?

Harry: Never mind that. You told him about the twin cores. (Ollivanders look stricken) You told him that using another wand might help him overcome the connection between our wands. But when it didn't, he asked you about the Elder wand.

Ollivanders (softly): Also known variously as the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny or the Elder Wand, the most easily traced of the Hallows because of its bloody history. You must understand, he was torturing me, I had no choice but to tell him what I knew.

Harry: I understand. So you told him that the Elder Wand was with Gregorovitch.

Ollivanders: It was a rumour, started years & years ago by Gregorovitch himself. You can see how good it would be for business; that he was studying & duplicating the qualities of the unbeatable wand.

Hermione: But is it really unbeatable, Mr. Ollivanders? I mean if the Elder wand made somebody invincible then the wand couldn't have been passed so many times from hand to hand by murder.

Ollivanders: The Elder wand doesn't make you invulnerable, Miss Granger & its owner must always fear attacks. But it is nevertheless a very powerful & dangerous weapon, & with the Dark Lord in possession of it…(he gestures towards the broken Holly wand on the table & then looks at Harry.) You really haven't got a chance.

Ron & Hermione look at Harry, who stands & walks over to the window. The sea is visible. Our view expands- it moves out of the window. The sea moves up closer.

EXTERIOR- The shore. The waves roll endlessly. The sun is about to set. Harry, Ron & Hermione are sitting by Dobby's grave.

Harry: Gregorovitch had the Elder wand, many years ago. But it was stolen from him by Grindelwald. I saw it inside You-Know-Who's head when he searched Gregorovitch's memory…

EXTERIOR- Voldemort arrives at the gate of Hogwarts. As he enters, and walks up the ground, we continue to hear Harry speaking to Ron & Hermione.

Harry's voice:…Dumbledore fought Grindelwald, & took the wand from him. It is now at Hogwarts.

Voldemort stands before Dumbledore's tomb, his wand poised over the white marble, ready to act.

EXTERIOR: The sky & the sea are tinged with various shades of crimson & orange. Harry stands looking at Dobby's grave.

Ron: At Hogwarts? Then let's go & get it.

Harry: No, Hermione's right. Dumbledore wanted me to find the Horcruxes, not the Hallows.

Ron: Are you mental? How can you let You-Know-Who take it? We've got to stop him, Harry.

Harry: It's too late. He's already there.

EXTERIOR- Hogwarts. Dusk is descending upon the grounds. Voldemort cracks open Dumbledore's tomb. A tall, thin shrouded figure lies inside. Voldemort moves his wand again. The wrappings fall open. The Elder wand is lying upon Dumbledore's chest, clutched beneath his folded hands. A chalk white hand swoops down; long, white fingers pulls the wand out of the dead man's grasp and raises it up the sky.

Voldemort: MORSMORDRE!

A beam of electric green light rockets out of the wand tip into the sky, forming a green skull with a serpentine tongue. The screen freezes over the Dark Mark.

END of Part-I.


End file.
